Solar flares may have affected cell phone networks in the US

A few months ago, data emerged that the internet may experience a ‘blackout’ due to major eruptions expected to occur at the end of the solar cycle; This period occurs every 11 years, with the end of the current cycle occurring between 2024 and 2025.

This last Thursday (22), United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) It revealed that two solar flares have occurred in recent days – both of which may have caused some cell phone outages in various states across the country.

The observations were made by NASA’s unmanned Solar Dynamics Observatory probe; In fact, the team’s scientists managed to capture an image of the event. The photo shows solar flares causing an extreme white spot as a result of the reflection of intense light released during the event.

a solar flare Type of energy explosion that occurs on the surface of the sun In addition to providing a chance to cause an internet outage, it can also affect radio communications, power grids, and GPS systems.

The latest event was classified as a type X6.3 explosion, one of the most intense types of explosions that can occur on the solar surface.

“NASA serves as a research arm of the nation’s space climate efforts. NASA constantly observes the Sun and our space environment with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activities to the solar atmosphere and even particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth. Americana wrote in an official statement about the incident.

Solar flares may have caused outages at AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile

The first solar flare occurred last Wednesday (21) night, while the second was detected in the early hours of Thursday (22). The event may have caused a situation widespread outages of cellular networks in the United States; Carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have reported thousands of outages, but the cause has not yet been confirmed.

Some people attribute US cell phone network outages (AT&T, Verizon) to class X last night #solarburst. However, flares only cause radio interference on the *dayside* of the Earth. As you can see below, the US was not affected by the incident. So this is just a coincidence! https://t.co/8EQxLV2qVJ pic.twitter.com/A5kImCmStC

—Dr. Ryan French (@RyanJFrench) February 22, 2024

According to Ryan French, a solar astrophysicist at the US National Solar Observatory, the cellular network outages were just a coincidence as the explosions did not affect the country. Despite this, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the event could cause some type of ‘surface impact’ on February 25.

“Some people attribute cellular network (AT&T, Verizon) outages in the US to last night’s Class X solar flare. But explosions only cause radio disturbance on the *day side* of the Earth. As you can see, the USA was not affected by the incident. So it’s just a coincidence,” Ryan said in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Did you like the content? Find more interesting facts about solar flares here TecMundo. If you wish, take the opportunity to understand how the solar storm of 1977 revealed the ‘unpredictability’ of solar events.